Transesophageal Echocardiogram 

A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is an ultrasound imaging test of the heart.  These images help your physician identify and diagnose problems such as defects to the heart valves, blood clots inside the chambers of the heart, infections that attack the structure of the heart, and conditions such as a patent foramen ovale or an atrial septal defect.  Since the esophagus lies behind the heart, the TEE probe produces clearer images of the heart than a standard echocardiogram, which is taken from outside of the chest.  During a TEE, harmless sound waves create images of the heart as it pumps blood across the valve and through the chambers of the heart.